the power to serve Kate in the hour
of her extremity; and I was disposed to keep her on the safe side, if I
did not keep there myself. I heard the heavy footsteps of Tom Thornton,
as he descended the stairs, and walked through the hall. I concluded
that he would see my uncle before he returned. I slipped off my shoes,
and put one in each side pocket of my sack. Fearing that my bat might be
removed during my absence, I thrust it up the chimney, at the fireplace,
resting one end on a jamb, where I could easily reach it.

Carefully opening the window, I stepped down upon the roof of the
library, and thence to the top of the bay window, to the position I had
before occupied. My uncle was in the library, but Tom was not with him,
and I concluded that he had gone out of the cottage for the weapon he
wanted. I felt safe enough, however; for, by lying down on the top of
the bay window, close to the wall of the building, I could not be seen
by any one who did not come close to the place where I was concealed.

I bent over and looked into the library window a second time. By the
side of the grate, at the end of the room, a small iron safe had been
built into the brick-work of the chimney, in which my uncle kept his
papers and other valuables. In the occasional visits I had made to the
library, after I was conscious of the mystery which shrouded my
affairs, I had gazed wistfully at the iron door of this safe, and
longed to possess the secrets which it contained. I believed that there
were papers in that strong box which could tell me where my mother was,
or give me some clew to her place of imprisonment. Perhaps the whole
history of my father's family was contained within its iron sides.
Perhaps the story of my wrongs could be traced from the documents there.
If not, why was I so carefully excluded from the library?

I felt a deep and thrilling interest when I glanced into the room, and
saw uncle Amos seated before the open door of this safe.

CHAPTER VIII.

IN WHICH ERNEST VISITS HIS UNCLE'S LIBRARY.

WHILE Tom Thornton was looking for a battery with which to reduce my
fortress, my uncle appeared to be searching for some paper in his safe.
I concluded that Tom's unexpected arrival had suggested some business to
be done with him. I was in a fever of anxiety to hear what passed
between them.

Uncle Amos handled the papers, folding and unfolding them, giving each a
hasty glance, and then restoring it to the safe. One